Those who regularly stop to give her a treat, a tin of food or some spare cash were devastated to learn that she may have only weeks to live: Roxy was recently diagnosed with an enlarged spleen and has spots on her liver.

Now, a JustGiving campaign launched to fund her vet bills has raised almost £1000 in three days.

Roxy’s condition is to be reviewed shortly but Paul, 46, expects that he will have to agree to the heart-breaking inevitability of having her put to sleep.

Paul, 46, said he was touched by people’s generosity towards his beloved pet.